How Long, Lord?

I want to ask you a question: Has there ever been a time in your heart and in your life when you’ve asked, “Where is God? Where is God when I really need Him? Why is it that God seems so far away? Why is it, when I pray, all I seem to get back is a hollow echo? What’s wrong? When am I going to get relief and release? How long, Lord? How long?”

Listen to this psalm and see if you don’t resonate with it:

Psalm 13:1–2 (ESV)

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Psalm 13:3–4 (ESV)

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

Psalm 13:5–6 (ESV)

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Now, the psalm, obviously, is a deeply personal psalm of someone in deep distress. It is a psalm of David, and, most likely, it was written when David is being hunted like an animal on the mountains. Saul, his enemy, is after him, seeking for his life, and David has prayed and said to God, “O God, help me out of this predicament. Lord, see me through. Give me an answer. Give me some light. O God, please.” There seems to be no answer. The heavens are silent. I think we’ve all been there. I’ve been there. I mean, maybe you have a financial problem. You’ve prayed, and you asked God for the answer. And, not only does the answer not come; the problem gets worse. Things are overwhelming. Maybe you have a sickness, and maybe you thought that the sickness was healed; and now, you have a relapse. And, you’ve been praying, saying, “O God, how long is it going to take before I get through this thing?” Maybe you have a wayward child who’s breaking your heart—a son, a daughter. Maybe it’s your parents, and you’ve been praying for your parents. It looks like the marriage is going to split up. Or, maybe there’s some other kind of a problem in your heart and in your life, and you say, “Where is God, and why doesn’t God hear my prayer?”

Now, I have to confess there are times when I pray that God seems so real you could just reach out and touch Him. And, I like those times—I mean, when we ask God for something and He gives it. I like those times. I’ve had prayers answered like that. I mean, I’ve had prayers answered so miraculously and instantaneously that no one will ever tell me that it was mere coincidence, that it would have happened anyway, or that God was not in it. And, we’ve all had those times when God is so close that the air just is fragrant with His presence. And, I thank God for those times, but those times are not always there. There are other times like this.

Tonight I think we need to understand how God works in times like these and what God just may be up to when we pray and we have to say, “Lord, how long? How long? How long?” And, it may be that we want God to change the situation, but God is changing us. We want God to work on the problem, but God is working on a person; and that person is the person who is doing the praying. Actually, in this psalm, you’re going to find a pattern that runs through a lot of the psalms.

First of all, there is a problem. It’s a problem that drives the psalmist to prayer. And then, it ends in praise, as he sees things more clearly and things come into focus. And certainly, this Psalm 13 is classic in that situation.

I. There Was a Persistent Problem

Let’s look at the problem, if we can. there’s what I want to call, in these two verses, a “persistent problem,” a “persistent problem.”

Psalm 13:1–2 ESV

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

I mean, four times in these verses he asks this question: “How long?” Look at it. “How long?” That’s in the first two words. And then, in the middle of that first verse—“how long will you hide your face from me?”—then verse 2 begins—“How long must I take counsel in my soul”—and then, verse 2 ends—

“how long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalms 13:1–2) “Lord, it’s been a long, long time. I’ve got a persistent problem; I’ve got a nagging problem. When are you going to do something about it, Lord?”

You know, one thing you find out about God: God just can’t be rushed. You can’t hurry Him up. As a matter of fact, if you’ll read over there in the book of the Revelation, chapter 6, about verse 10, I believe, the Bible gives a very poignant picture. It speaks of the souls of those who were martyred for Jesus. I believe they had their heads cut off. They’re martyrs. And, the Bible pictures them as being under the altar, and these souls who were martyred—they’re saying, “Lord, how long before you’re going to avenge us of our enemies?” (Revelation 6:10) That’s way over yonder in the book of the Revelation. God sometimes moves in majestic slowness. And, we might as well admit it, whether we can understand, whether we like it or not: God doesn’t seem to be in a hurry.

There was a woman in the gospels who had a nagging problem, an issue of blood, for eighteen years before she got healed. I wonder if she didn’t say to the Lord sometimes, “Lord, how long? Lord, how long?” another man—I think in John chapter 5—who was a paralytic— the Bible calls him (John 5:7)— there, in the pool of Bethesda. The Bible said he’s been there for thirty-eight years in this condition before Jesus healed him. (John 5:5) Now, you think God just discovered he was there after thirty-eight years, or do you think the Lord knew it the whole time? I wonder if this man had not prayed, like David prayed, “Lord, how long is it going to be before you do something?” his problem was threefold. And these are the same feeling we face when we have a long-lasting problem:

A. He Felt Forgotten

First of all, he felt forgotten. Look in verse 1:

Psalm 13:1 ESV

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

He said, “Lord, you’ve just forgotten me.” Have you ever noticed how, when we’re having a good time, time seems to go by just like that—but when we have difficulty, it goes by very slowly? And, we say, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” But, time just goes by like that when we’re having a good time. But, when we’re in the middle of a problem, it just seems like that God is…He doesn’t even know what’s happening to us, and we think God has forgotten us.

Now, I want to tell you this: if you think God has forgotten you, He hasn’t, okay? Now, no matter whether you understand it or not, God has not forgotten you. I’ll tell you what God has forgotten: God has forgotten yours sins. That’s what He’s forgotten. He says, “I will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17) “Well,” you say, “How can God forget anything?” Well, He doesn’t forget it; He remembers it against you no more. When God sees that sin now, God sees that sin as forgiven and under the blood, and He has therefore forgotten it as a sin that needs to be judged. But, God has not forgotten you.

Let me give you some scriptures on this:

Isaiah 49:14–16 ESV

But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

Do you ever write things on your hand so you won’t forget?

God says, “Even when a mother forgets her child, remember this: I have not forgotten you.” So, David was wrong when he thought that God had forgotten him. Can you forget you have a child? (Home Alone)

B. He Felt Forsaken

But, not only did he feel forgotten; he literally felt forsaken. Psalm 13:1

Psalm 13:1 ESV

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

It’s not only like he has been forgotten; he’s been forsaken. Not only has God forgotten where he is; God’s turned His back on him. God has forsaken him—that’s what he feels like. He thinks God is just literally hiding His face from him. And, maybe you feel that God has a grudge against you—not only has He forgotten where you are, but He, actually, He’s turned His back on you; He has hidden His face from you. Now, He’s playing hide and seek with you.

Now remember, the face of God—the face of God—speaks of God’s lovingkindness. He’s using a very personal emotion about God’s face.- we know it well

Numbers 6:22–26 ESV

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

David said, “I don’t sense that. I don’t sense God’s face shining toward me. I don’t. I can’t—I can’t—feel His countenance.” Even if you don’t know that God’s face is toward you, it is, unless there’s sin in your heart and in your life. His face is toward you in the darkest night.

I read a story about a father who had lost his wife when she was a young woman. They had one son. And, the father decided that night that the little boy needed to sleep with daddy after the funeral. And, they were there in that dark room—the little boy there, alongside his daddy. He wasn’t used to sleeping with his dad, but the two of them were there. And, the little boy was sleeping where his mamma used to sleep. They lay there in the silence for a while, and the little boy said, “Daddy—Daddy—it’s very dark. I can’t even see you, Daddy.” And, the Daddy said, “Yes, Son, it’s really dark, but it’s ok, I’m here.” And then, he said, “Daddy, is your face toward me? Are you looking at me?” And, the dad said, “Yes, Son, my face is toward you.” He said, “That’s good, Daddy. Good night,” and he went to sleep. And, after the little fellow went to sleep, the dad crawled out of bed and got on his knees—said, “Heavenly Father, it is dark. It’s very dark. Father God, is your face toward me?” And, God whispered to him, “My child, my face is toward you. It’s dark, but it’s ok.” Now, you may be in the dark, and you may feel forgotten, but you’re not. And, you may feel forsaken, but you’re not.

C. He Felt Frustrated

And, you may feel frustrated, because that was his other problem. Look—he says in verse 2:

Psalm 13:2 ESV

How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

“God, I can’t get this problem solved. I take counsel in my soul. I try to reason it out. I can’t handle this problem.” Have you ever been there? Folks, I’ve been there. And, every honest person has been there, if you just…you get frustrated and you think that the problem will not be solved. I want to tell you something: God has not forgotten you; God has not forsaken you, and the problem will be solved— maybe not the way you want it solved. But, you see, God is a sovereign God, and he will take care of it, in His time.

Let me give you some verses on this one: If you have been bombarding heaven and saying, “Nothing is happening,” well, maybe nothing is happening that you’re seeing.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

God doesn’t have any half-built towers. (like our hospital) God doesn’t have any unfinished projects. Now, if God began a good work in you, God will complete it. Psalm 138:8

Psalm 138:8 ESV

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

He will finish his purpose for me.

Now, we don’t like the way God does it sometimes. We don’t like God’s timing. We don’t like God’s method. And, sometimes we cry out to God.

But folks, we need to understand that God is there. And, if you will be honest, you’ll have to admit that the times you have grown the most spiritually were those times when you were in the deepest problem or facing the biggest sorrow. Isn’t that strange? But, that is true.

II. There Was a Prevailing Prayer

Now, there was the perplexing problem. Okay, now look at the prevailing prayer. Notice how he prays now, beginning in verses 3 and 4.

Psalm 13:3–4 ESV

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

Now, this, I’m sure, is only a synopsis of days, weeks, hours of prayer. It’s only a condensed version of what he has been praying out of his heart. And, problems did what they were supposed to do: they drove him to prayer. God loves us too much to let us live independent of Him. So, his problems drove him to prayer.

But, notice the One to whom he prays: he says, “Consider and answer/hear me, O LORD my God.” (Psalms 13:3)

he says “Remember me, Jehovah, my Elohim”—Jehovah, the covenant-keeping God; Elohim, the Almighty, the God of promise and the God of power. The God of promise—Yahweh, Jehovah. The God of power—Elohim. And, you see, David did have a…he had a covenant. David had been anointed king. Samuel had said, “You’re God’s chosen. You’re God’s anointed.” In a way, he knew that Saul couldn’t kill him, ’cause he had not yet been crowned. He had a promise from God, and he’s praying on the basis of that promise.

III. There Was a Proper Perspective

Psalm 13:5–6 ESV

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Now, what has changed? David has changed. It’s the same man that is whining and complaining in the first two verses is now praising. It doesn’t say that Saul has died or that David has suddenly got reinforcement. David has refocused. He says, “Now, I’ve been looking at the problem. Lord, I’m going to gaze upon you.” Look at the word but: “But”—“but”—“I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” And, in those verses, we see three things that come to the surface:

A. Unshakeable Faith

Look at the unshakeable faith:

Psalm 13:5–6 ESV

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

One paraphrase gives it this way: “I have thrown myself headlong into thy arms.” It’s like a trust fall! “I have thrown myself headlong into your arms. I am trusting your mercy and steadfast love.” That is unshakeable faith.

B. Unspeakable Joy

And then, there’s unspeakable joy: “my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.” Friend, if you’re saved, you’ve got a lot to rejoice in, no matter what else happens. “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared [to] the glory [that] shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) But, I don’t think David is merely talking about salvation, dying, and going to heaven. He’s saying, “In your deliverance.” The word salvation means “deliverance.” “God, you’re going to get me out of this. You’re going to work me through this. I mean, before it happens, I, by faith, cast myself on your mercy. I rejoice in your deliverance.”

C. Unquenchable Praise

Unshakeable faith, unspeakable joy, unquenchable praise: “I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalms 13:6) Here’s a man saying, “Lord, I’m about to die. My problems are overwhelming me.” And then, he gets to thinking about God and the blessings that God has given him. And, he doesn’t just say, “Lord, you’re all right. You’ve done so-so.” He says, “[God, you’ve] dealt bountifully with me.” I don’t care who you are or how big your problem is, if you will begin to think about the blessings that God has given you, you’ll have to say, “God, you’ve dealt bountifully with me.”

Have you ever thought about how God does something? He just does it bountifully. I mean, He just doesn’t give us life; He gives us eternal life. He doesn’t give us peace; He gives us perfect peace. He doesn’t give us grace; He gives us abounding grace. He doesn’t just give us victory; He makes us more than conquerors. So, why shouldn’t we praise Him?

(Halfway Herbert book- just does things half-way)

And, it just may be that if you’re in the middle of a great big problem, God is just working on you until you get your focus back on Him and begin to thank Him for what He’s already given you, for what He’s already done. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You certainly don’t have to understand it all. And, understand that He has not forsaken you; He has not forgotten you. He will see you through. Hallelujah!